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88 strips just a trifle wider than the depth of the seam after it is closed. Stitch the binding on the right side of the seam edge close to the edge, then baste it flat, covering the edge. Close the seam of the garment with bastings catching through both cloth and bindings. Then stitch.

A better way, requiring more labor, however, is to stitch the seam and press it open. After pressing, the seam will have spread at the edges, especially if it is curved, and the binding can be safely applied without any chance of pulling later.

Use a seam binding wide enough to cover the edge nicely. Fold the binding through the center and press it with a warm iron. Slip the binding over the edge of the seam with the binding a little easy so that there is no danger of drawing the edge. Sew the binding on with a running stitch or stitch it by machine, catching the edge of the binding on both sides of the seam edge. (Ill. 154.)

WHEN TRIMMING is to be applied over seams, the plain seam is used. It should be finished completely and pressed before the trimming is added.

JOINED SEAMS of garments in which the lining is cut like the outer pattern and stitched together, are finished by turning in the raw edges of the seams of both cloth and lining toward each other and closing the edge with over-hand or running stitches. Where the seam is curved, the edges must be notched every now and then to prevent the garment from pulling at such points.

AN ORDINARY TAILORED SEAM, which makes a good, neat finish is the plain seam pressed with both edges turned to one side, and a row of machine stitching run in neatly along the one side of the seam from the right side of the garment as shown in Illustration 155. Or, if preferred, a row of stitching may be applied to each side of the seam (Ill. 156.) In the latter case, however, the seam should be pressed open before running in the stitching.

A BROAD SEAM is a plain, wide seam with four rows of ornamental stitching. (Ill. 157.) This seam is mostly used on tailored garments of heavy materials.

A CORD OR TUCK SEAM is a plain seam with both edges turned to one side, and a row of stitching run about one-fourth of an inch from the seam, through the three thicknesses of the goods. This creates a raised or cord-like effect. (Ill. 158.) The undesirable thickness on the under side may be cut away at the inner edge as close to the stitching as possible.